Page 13 of Bales and Brawn

“Are you going to college?”

“Zane says that with the feed store doing so well we can afford for me to go and learn to be a nail technician.”

“That’s great.” I can see how excited he is at the prospect, but Zane’s decision surprises me.

“Isn’t it. He said it’s the reason he took over the feed store when the old one closed down. Isn’t he the best brother ever?”

“He certainly is,” I agree, and for the next half an hour, Nova tells me about his plans for the future. I rise when I hear a truck in the yard, making my exit before Zane appears. I’m not exactly avoiding him, but I’m not going out of my way to be in his company.

The next morning, as I’m making myself a cup of tea before work, I remember what Arlene said and have an idea.

“Hello, Dev love.” My mum answers on the second ring.

“Hi, Mum,” I reply, and after putting her at ease that the call is not an emergency, and having my ear bent for a few more minutes, I get to the point.

“Can you send over some tea?”

“Tea? Don’t they have tea in the States?”

“Of course. But Arlene likes English tea and has it brought in especially for her. She lets me drink it too, so I thought it’d be nice to get her some direct.”

“Of course I can, love. Does she have a favorite brand?”

“She likes Burton’s.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.”

“How?” I ask. It’s a brand that’s been around for like a hundred and fifty years or something.

“One of the Burtons split from the family company and has set up his own tea shop here in Stonehaven. He’s taken over the old apothecary. Calling it Apothecatea, making his own blends. How about I send her some of those as well?”

“Thanks, Mum, that sounds perfect.” We talk for a few minutes before I end the call as I need to get to work. As I walk across the yard, I ignore the faint sting of homesickness talking to my mum has brought up. I don’t feel it often, and I know if I went home, I’d soon feel hemmed in again. As much as I love my family, I always do.

I’m on my own as I open up the store and serve the first few customers. Each one of them wants to talk and tell me their version of the escaped alpacas, which I learn is a fairly regular occurrence but always big news in Foggy Basin. It sounds like it was hilarious, and I’m almost sorry I missed it. I’m in a good mood and just tidying away some chicken feeders when Zane walks into the feed store.

“I hear you had fun chasing round some wayward alpacas yesterday,” I say.

“Why do you always have to talk?” he snaps.

“I’m just being friendly. You should try it sometime,” I snap back, my good mood quickly dissipating. He glares at me for a full twenty seconds, his jaw so tight I think he might burst a blood vessel. Then he turns on his heel and stalks off towards the machine barns.

“Well, that was dumb,” I mutter to myself. I should know better than to snap at my boss just because he riles me up.

“What was?” Nova asks, sauntering in while munching on an apple.

“I think I annoyed your brother.”

“Oh, I doubt that. He’s already pissed at me this morning.” He perches on a pile of sacks.

“Why’s that?” I can’t imagine being pissed at Nova.

“I asked if I could go to college in San Francisco instead of Sac.” Okay, yes, that might do it.

“What did he say?” Though I can already imagine. Sacramento is a ninety minute drive away. San Francisco’s more like four hours.

Nova pushes off from the sacks and stands taller, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest in a fairly accurate imitation of his brother.

“Over my dead body,” he says in a deep voice and then dissolves in a fit of giggles.